


i wish i could throw this ball into your face

by krystyna



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: F/F, Football | Soccer, Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-28
Updated: 2020-10-28
Packaged: 2021-03-09 02:54:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 11,191
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27247624
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/krystyna/pseuds/krystyna
Summary: Mikasa likes soccer. She likes the thwak of the ball and the feeling of grass on her knees. She likes the comfortable team routine she's created. She doesn't like the opposing team. She doesn't like their star player. And she for sure 100% does not like Annie Leonhart.
Relationships: Armin Arlert/Eren Yeager, Mikasa Ackerman/Annie Leonhart
Comments: 11
Kudos: 52





	1. practice

**Author's Note:**

> I've had this idea for a while and I finally decided to sit down and type something out. My writing isn't the best but I have ideas and I want to get them out there. You can listen to me talk more about my aot soccer au on twitter @/_krystyna_565  
> Ignore the chapter count, there will be more. I'll probably update weekly or so.

Mikasa loved soccer. She loved the smack of the ball against her black cleats. She loved the slight sway of the net when the wind blew, and the even larger one when she made a goal. She loved the short grass itching her knees whenever she bent to double knot her shoes. She loved the adrenaline pumping through her veins when dribbling the ball across the field. Unfortunately, everything good must have a bad side. Mikasa loves her teammates dearly, she's had some of the best times of her life with them. But most of the time they were absolute knuckleheads.  
Here she was, at eight in the morning, struggling to put on her hand me down shin guards from Eren (who was sitting close by, smoothly fitting his shiny new white guards.) Blowing fog from her face and dirt off of her palms. She lifted her head and stared out at the field, almost everyone had arrived. As per routine, Armin placed his legs in front of her, and she reached over to double tie his shoes. Comforted by company and the stillness of the air, she allowed herself to relax.  
Coach Levi blew the whistle, sharp and loud as it rang across the morning field. She felt Armin jump, and Eren shift to be able to view the coach better. If Mikasa stared hard enough, she swore she could see the mist pooling around their legs puff away due to the shrillness of the noise. She looked up from where she was pulling on her shin guards to see Coach Levi, a squat round faced man with greasy black hair and a striped shirt on, huffily making his way over to where Connie was trying to hide behind Sasha and Jean. Coach Levi stopped, inches from Jean’s face, the whistle bouncing against his chest from where it hung.  
Levi gritted his teeth, venom dripping from every word. “What. Is. Connie. Doing. With. Your. Gloves. On.” Mikasa felt bad for Jean, he was a tall white guy with a dirty blonde undercut that refused to stay short. He gave off an air of indifference, but his confidence was easily bruised. Levi took a deep breath to continue his tirade. “You know how gross those things are. You sweat in them.” He reached between Connie's bodyguards and pulled him out by his ear. Connie had his face twisted in pain, gloved hands reaching for his ears.  
“Do not let anyone but Jean wear them. Ever.” Next to Jean, a slightly shorter girl with her brown hair pulled in a ponytail had her face screwed up and her eyes shut. Coach Levi turned to her “Sasha. If I ever see this happening again I will not hesitate to make all three of you run laps around this field until the end of practice. While holding cones.” Sasha visibly gulped. Levi stalked away, pulling a pen from his pockets to scribble on a clipboard that was handy nearby. Sasha, Connie, and Jean recovered quickly, jogging over to where the rest of the team sat.  
Armin pulled his legs away from Mikasa and passed her a hair tie. He turned his back to Mikasa and offered her his head. This was probably her favorite part of the pre soccer routine. No one else except her and Armin had as close of a bond. He allowed her close and she likewise.. As she started to pull his hair into a tiny blonde ponytail, she heard Eren start sniggering when Jean was in hearing distance. Mikasa sighed, finished up Armin’s ponytail by snapping the excess tie against his head,and started running her own hand through her shortly cropped black hair.  
“Don’t antagonize him, Eren.” Even as she said this she could tell it was too late. Jean had heard Eren giggling. He rushed over, red faced and fists by his sides. He stopped around a foot away from Eren, chest puffed out in a show of dominance.  
“What’s so funny, huh? You didn’t see me laughing when Levi shoved your face into dirt when you licked the soccer ball!” As Jean said this, a wide grin split his face, no doubt laughing at the memory. Eren stopped laughing, red flaring in his cheeks. Mikasa knew it was about to get bad. She froze, placing one hand on Armin’s shoulder just in case.  
“That was ONE TIME. ONE. I DID IT BECAUSE YOU BET ME FIVE DOLLARS. WHICH I STILL DON’T HAVE!” By this point both boys were face to face, fists raised, knees bent. Armin sighed. He tightened his ponytail, put a stray hair behind his ear, and adjusted his shirt collar.  
“Mikasa, should we stop this.” he asked, turning to face her. Big blue eyes wide and open. Mikasa grunted, laid back with her legs out on the grass and arms supporting her. She pondered the possibility, but that meant choosing a side, and she hated choosing sides. She could always choose Eren, but he was her brother, and she deserved to poke fun at him and let him fall every once in a while. She blew some air out of her mouth, feeling her hair drift around her face.  
“No. Let them tire themselves out.” Armin nodded, and greeted Sasha and Connie as they arrived. Sasha flopped down next to Mikasa, turning and propping herself on her stomach, which gave out a loud grumble. Connie plopped down next to her and pulled out a pack of gummies for them to share. Sasha grunted her thanks and ripped open the package. Armin chuckled, a slight smile adorning his round face.  
“You guys are so close, it's sweet. It’s like you can read each other's minds.” he commented when Sasha immediately gave Connie all the orange gummies. Sasha laughed.  
“Yeah. Me and this dumbass have been inseparable since birth.” She leaned over and rubbed his fuzzy bald head. Connie grunted, and added on.  
“I wouldn’t be surprised if we were twins that were separated at birth or something.” As Connie said this he got up to throw away the plastic wrapper in the nearby trash can. Armin, always one to notice things, said  
“I thought you just said you guys were inseparable at birth, and now you were separated? Which is it?” Sasha and Connie, now both sanding, looked at each other with wide eyes, and burst out laughing. Sasha walked over and put her arms around his shoulders.  
“We like to keep it vague,” Sasha replied, a huge grin splitting her face. Mikasa chuckled during this exchange. She liked to think she and Eren were like that, or maybe even Armin. But a stark difference in their personalities always ended up putting a wall between them truly being completely in tune with each other like Sasha and Connie. It was something Mikasa envied. While Armin and Eren were like twins, she often felt like the third wheel. This feeling didn't go away when she moved in with Eren. She often felt like she was invading a sacred space.  
But things were OK. She always had soccer to turn too. She turned to soccer when her parents died. She turned to soccer when she discovered an uncomfortable truth. Her therapist Hange told her she uses soccer to cope. She doesn't think so, at least it doesn’t feel like it. Mikasa thinks she does it because it doesn't require her to dwell on things for a short time. Afterwards, when she lays in bed, or while taking a shower, everything she'd been avoiding while juggling the ball on her knees hits.  
The whistle blew shortly after Sasha and Connie finished their gummies. Eren and Jean were still wrestling on the ground, mud caking their knees. They both got up, sent each other a dirty glance, and got into line where the rest of the team was already waiting. Coach Levi paced in front of them slowly. Gazing at them like a predator regards a measly rabbit. Simply put, Mikasa thought he looked disappointed, and maybe a little pissed. He regarded his clipboard, no doubt covered in scribbles about each player.  
Mikasa thought soccer was like a to do list. Every fact and advantage and outcome cleanly laid out before her to pick. First in line is Mikasa Ackerman. Star player, excels at offense. Quick with her feet and able to steal the ball from enemy players effortlessly. Next up, Eren Yeager. Plays offense, second position. Tall, but slow. Makes up for it in strength and anger, excellent power behind his kicks. Armin Arlert. Third position offense. Not the aggressive type, leaves the actual attack for the ball up to Mikasa and Eren. Excellent at passing the ball and making quick decisions. Sasha Braus and Connie Springer. The two are so alike they work like a clock. Both amazing players at defense. They have a secret language with their bodies that only they can read. Jean Kirstein. The goalie, his long body and fierce determination help him grab onto the ball, and the ability to punt it halfway across the field. These are the Team Titans. Mikasa was intensely proud and protective of her team. She felt like due to her and Levi's combined efforts, she was able to whip them into a team able to hold their ground. Levi grunted and Mikasa snapped back into focus.  
“We have a game next tomorrow against the…” He squinted at his clipboard. “The Warriors. I heard they have players good enough to rival our own. I want you all in your best shape then. Be ready to fertilize the grass with them.” Sasha and Connie giggled. Levi sent them a glare. “They have a star player fit enough to make Mikasa sweat, named Andrew Leonhart or something. So Mikasa." Coach Levi turned to stare at her. "Form up. It'll be a difficult game." Mikasa stared back. And nodded.  
Mikasa wondered who Andrew was. A new name on the field, a new boundary between her and the goal. She didn’t worry much. Once she saw them in action she and Armin would be able to formulate an attack plan. Her spirits lifted suddenly. She was Mikasa Ackerman, best soccer player in this godforsaken town. She dropped her head to the ball at her feet. She lifted up her left cleat and firmly placed it on top of the ball. Foot sliding a little due to the morning dew wetting the grass. She looked up. She would win.  
Practice started soon after Levi drilled them on forms and techniques. It started with simple tasks, running down and back the field while dribbling and jumping around a stationary ball. Because this was Coach Levi, it quickly progressed into something harder, dribbling across the field, running backwards while passing to a teammate. Also because this was Coach Levi, and he was an asshole, Eren and Jean were paired together. Mikasa with Sasha, and Connie with Armin.  
Mikasa loved the thrum of her feet and the simple thwack of the ball. Practice flashed in a blur of sweaty cheeks and grass stains. Over too soon. Five minutes of waiting on the bench later, a car pulled up. A soft familiar blue. She threw her and Erens balls in the back and slung the door open. One minute later she was ripping off her socks in Mrs. Carla’s van with Eren seated next to her, who was holding his nose pinched shut. Mikasa stuck her tongue out at him. Mrs. Carla twisted around in her seat, loose ponytail swinging, she asked.  
“How was practice?” She turned to look at Eren. “Did Mikasa beat you around the field again?” Eren leaned back into his seat and grumbled out a yes, a frown on his face uncomfortably visible. Mikasa never meant to steal his star status. When she moved in with his family, soccer was only meant to be an extra activity to take her mind off of things. To her surprise, it worked. It worked too well. It helped her stop thinking about, no. She lifted her fingers to trace the long scar on her cheek, but then noticed Mrs. Carla glanced at her through the mirror. She put her hand down, placing it on the nearby water bottle to steady it. To steady her. Mrs. Carla checked the time. “I have chicken pot pie waiting at home! It should be done cooking by the time we get back.” Mikasa and Eren both perked up at this, glancing at each other and smiling evilly. It was a well known fact in the Yeager family that Eren only ate the chicken part, and gave everything else to Mikasa to eat. Well known to everyone but Mrs. Carla, who was often the butt of the family jokes. She often said she'd be eaten alive before she figured out what Eren was always pranking her with. “But first I need you kids to help me with my shopping!” Eren groaned and flopped forward in his seat. Mikasa hummed in response. Helping Mrs. Carla with shopping was the least she could do after everything.  
It wasn't a long ride home after shopping, only about five or seven minutes. Which were spent scrolling on her phone or staring out the window. They pulled into the driveway and Mikasa helped drag in the groceries. After that task was done, Mikasa immediately went inside to take a shower. She locked the door and stared at herself in the mirror. She lifted her hand to remove the hair sticking to her forehead. Sweating during practice was alright. But the sticky sweet feeling afterwards always left her feeling disgusting.  
After the shower, she dressed in a t-shirt and shorts and went to her room. Her room was small, most of it was dominated by her bed, and the pictures and posters hanging all over the walls made it feel even smaller. She liked it. She took great care in decorating it to make it feel very her. Flopping down on her bed, she pulled out her phone. She thought of Andrew Leonhart. Her fingers hovered over the instagram app, but instead opened up google. She hurriedly typed in “Andrew Leonhart Soccer” plus the name of the town they lived in. Mikasa was met with a disappointing no results matched your search. She huffed, and finally pulled up instagram.  
Mikasa thought Armin was a queer fellow. In more ways than one. It didn’t help matter that all of his socials seemed to be kpop related. He made her listen to some of the songs, it wasn’t anything special to her, but liked it and it made him happy. So she was ok with it. One thing that she will never tire of is opening Instagram to click on a kpop icon decorated with hearts and then discuss soccer strategies with the icon. It amused her. Soccer and kpop, two very different worlds. 

Mikasa: I looked up Andrew Leonhart and nothing came up. We are going in blind.

Five minutes passed with no response

Armin: sorry I was texting eren. Yeah I dug a little too and I couldn't find anything either

Mikasa: It’s fine. See you tomorrow.

She received a notification that Armin had liked her message. Mikasa bit her lip. She felt some strands of her hair fall to settle on her nose. She really needed to get a hair tie. She put her palms up to her eyes, letting the heat from her forehead seep into her hands. For the first time in a while, she was worried. Worried about playing blind and losing. Losing would knock down the fragile confidence she built for herself. Maybe she should discuss this with Hange. Her temporary solutions were wearing away. A knock on her door roused her from her thoughts.  
“Come in.” The door clicked open and Eren sheepishly peeked around the wooden frame. Mikasa heard the faint clatter of cutlery and the chatter of Mrs.Carla and Mr.Grisha from the kitchen.  
“Mom says food is ready. She picked all the chicken from your slice and put it on mine.” Mikasa snorted. She got up from her bed and moved to follow Eren down the hallway. She traced her fingers across the wall.  
“She figured it out?” Eren nodded.  
“Dad was gonna tell her eventually.” Mikasa hummed in response.  
Dinner was good. Routine. Teasing from Eren's dad and Mrs.Carla trying to convince Mikasa to eat meat. It didn’t work. Scrubbing dirty dishes and rinsing off placemats, because Eren still, for some reason, ate like a maniac and couldn't get through a single meal without letting loose a hail of crumbs. With her stomach comfortably full of pie crust and peas, she went back to her room, changed into pajamas, and brushed her teeth. She had a nightly routine, one that she followed down to the tiniest detail. Goodnight, she went and told Eren's parents. Goodnight, she said to Eren, who was hunched over his phone in his bed. Goodnight, she said to parents, stuck in the picture frame by her bed. She shut off the lights, laid down, and pulled the covers over herself. Goodnight.


	2. game day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> mikasa meets annie and they hate eachother

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this was the chapter I wrote this whole thing for lol

It was the day of the game. The sun beat down on Mikasa's neck. Sky clear and blue, with the faintest hint of a breeze. Her nose twitched, upper lip itching from the sweat beading on it. She pulled her hand up to swipe the hair sticking to her forehead away. As she did so, she saw Coach Levi waving her over.  
“Eren, Armin.” She turned to see Eren pulling Armin's hair into a ponytail. Eren snatched his hand away from tracing Armins ear. She twitched her head in Levi's direction and all three walked over to him.   
“Mikasa! Eren! Armin!” All three turned to see Sasha running towards them, with a disgruntled Jean and Connie in tow. “I saw the other team, only get this! Leonhart is a GIRL!” Sasha widened her eyes like this was some affront against God.   
“I don't think it matters that much. I've played plenty of women before and...” Mikasa trailed off when she noticed that Sasha had already zoomed off too nag Coach Levi about after game snacks. Armin walked up and placed his hand on Jean's shoulder.   
“She's sure excited today.” Jean huffed in agreement.  
“Tell me about it. She ate both of our breakfast burritos in the car. I was driving and I looked in the mirror to see Sasha hunch over the remains of our food.” Connie nodded in solidarity, and glanced over at Sasha.   
“One of the worst experiences of my life.” He pointed at his friend, who was now trying to open the water cooler but failing. “I'm gonna try to get her to take us out for lunch.” He jogged off before Coach Levi could rip Sasha a new one. Jean tugged his gloves on and put his goalie shirt on.   
“It’s too hot for this thing to have long sleeves.” He complained.   
“Aww, is the little baby complaining about the position he wanted?” Jean turned to Eren.  
“There is going to be an unfortunate accident on the soccer field” Jean threatened and stormed away.   
“Get your asses over here!” Coach Levi shouted. Mikasa did as she was told, Armin and Eren walking behind her. The whole team huddled, arms around each other. “Alright! I’ve got some news.” Coach Levi started. “We are playing against a vicious team. I watched them practice this morning. I'll give you the rundown of what we need to look out for.” Levi paused and checked his clipboard. “The offense is strong, a great mix of brute strength and speed. Not too sure about the brains.” he glanced at Armin. “Use that to your advantage. Defense is average. I'm sure you can take them fine. The goalie I would watch out for. She's long and fast, and from what I've seen, extremely crafty, has amazing punts, clears over half the field.” He checked his clipboard again. “And that's it. You brats better pull out of this on top. I didn't work my ass off for nothing.” He held his hand out, and everyone else placed this on top. Connie and Sasha placed both their hands.   
“Go Titans!” Everyone chorused. Eren and Jean let out excited whoops. The referee blew his whistle from the center of the field. The game was starting.  
She was currently in position as first offense, Eren and Armin on either side of her. Just like they practiced, like everything should be. What Mikasa was not expecting was the tiniest and angriest woman she has ever seen playing first position offense. Dressed in a yellow jersey and white shorts, Mikasa had a complete view of toned legs and arms. She had white blonde hair messily pulled up in a bun and a beautiful eagle nose. Mikasa wished she could blame her sweat only on the heat. The player looked up, and Mikasa got a full view of piercing silver blue eyes. Before she could stop herself Mikasa blurted out something she immediately regretted.   
“Who are you?” Mikasa clenched her hands. They stared directly into eachothers eyes.  
“Annie Leonhart,” she responded. She sounded tired. “I presume you're Ackerman? Hm?” She linked her fingers together and stretched her hands. Annie grinned “I am going to wipe the floor with you.” Mikasa was taken aback. So that's how it was gonna be. She opened her mouth, brain working overtime.  
“Shove it up your ass.”   
“You wish.”  
“Ladies!” The ref was beckoning them. “Call it in the air.” He flipped a coin. Annie immediately responded.  
“Tails. I want the left side.” It landed on tails. Mikasa sent her a glare. The rest of the teams got into position. It was only now that Mikasa noticed the brutes flanking Annie. Two hulking giants that definitely would give Eren and Armin a run for their money. The whistle blew, and Annie passed the ball to her right. Mikasa felt the usual thrill. The game had begun.  
The game was rough. It was almost halftime and no one had scored. Mikasa was sweaty, tired, and frustrated. Everytime she had the ball Annie would come after her and snatch it away, and then Mikasa would snatch it from her. An endless cycle. The other two offense players were proving to be a pain in her ass. They used their size to block passes and make it impossible for Armin and Eren to communicate with Mikasa.   
Mikasa had come close to scoring only one time. She had shaken off Annie and the defenders and was streaking towards the goal. She kicked, only to have the ball caught in midair by the goalie. Ymir was her name, Mikasa gathered as one of the defenders congratulated her. Ymir promptly punted the ball halfway across the field. She turned to Mikasa, her golden eyes sparkling in the sun.  
“Fetch.” Was everyone on this team an asshole?   
Mikasa ran. She gained control of the ball just as the halftime whistle blew. She kicked it over to the ref and sat down heavily on the warm metal bench. Great, having her butt toasted didn't really work with cooling down. The rest of the team arrived. Sasha, Connie, Eren, and Jean attacked the water bottles, desperate for something to cool them down. Mikasa drank some of hers and wiped the excess off of her mouth. She turned her head only to find Annie staring at her from the other bench, who quickly looked away and started badgering Ymir for her gloves. Mikasa watched as Annie pulled the goalie jersey over herself, leaving a frowning Ymir behind. Coach Levi, who had been watching this altercation, pulled the corners of his mouth in disgust.   
“Ugh, they share gloves, and the goalie jersey.” Mikasa felt rage build up inside her. Why didn’t Annie want to play head on against her anymore? Ymir was a fine goalie, why switch with Annie? The rest of the team seemed to have the same questions. The tallest one put his hand on Annie's shoulder, which she slapped off. Before she could stop herself, Mikasa got up and walked over to the other team.  
“Annie,” she snapped, slowly advancing. “Why the hell are you switching positions.” Annie looked up at Mikasa, who was only about half a foot away from her.  
“Im multi talented!” Annie gestured at the gloves. “Unlike you, I've mastered all soccer positions.” She grinned, tipping her head up higher to look Mikasa straight in the eyes. Mikasa gritted her teeth. She had never met anyone who could get under her skin this easily. Annie puffed out her chest. Mikasa turned to stomp away.  
“Whatever.”  
A game with Annie as goalie was proving to be a little easier. Ymir never ran head on at Mikasa, so she was able to maneuver around her attempts to steal the ball. Eren and Armin were getting better at dealing with the remaining offense and defense.   
“Mikasa!” She ran ahead, and turned to see Armin kick a ball straight towards the Warriors side of the field. Which was empty. Mikasa ran, this was her chance. The game was almost over. She gained the ball and kept running, Annie crouching in anticipation of her. Before she knew it, she was in the goalie square. Shit, she should've kicked from before then. Now Annie could grab the ball.   
She was gonna lose. The game was gonna end in a tie if she couldn’t make the goal. Mikasas face twisted up. Time slowed down. Annie was sailing for the ball, her hands outstretched. A final option came to Mikasa's mind. Annie’s hands closed around the ball. Mikasa bent, her mind made up, and opened her mouth.   
“Your ass looks amazing in those shorts.” Annie fumbled with the ball, her face twisted in shock, the faintest hint of a blush on her face. Or maybe it was just anger. Mikasa didn’t care, as long as she won. She planted her cleats in the ground and lifted her leg. One kick and victory would be hers. Time sped up. THWACK! The ball sailed straight past a flabbergasted Annie and straight into the net. The whistle rang. The game was over. One to zero in favor of the Titans. Mikasa turned, smirking at Annie, whose face was steadily turning a deep shade of red.   
“You.” Annie ripped off her gloves as she said this and threw them on the ground, stomping closer. “You...asshole! I had the ball!” Her hand lifted to point at Mikasa, revealing band-aids scattered on her knuckles. “Why would you say something like that? It’s not fair!” Her finger pressed into Mikasa's chest, right over her heart. Mikasa lifted her hands in the air defensively.   
“I didn't know there was a rule against telling rivals they have a great ass.” Annie huffed, removed her finger, and turned away. She aggressively scooped her gloves off of the floor and stomped off over to Ymir, who was the unfortunate recipient of a stinky pair of gloves being thrown into her face and a glare. Ymir turned to Mikasa, and then back to Annie, and grinned. Ymir was dragged off by a practically exploding Annie by her ear.  
Armin ran up to Mikasa. He was out of breath but absolutely elated. Mikasa turned to him and smiled. It was because of him and his quick thinking that she was able to get so far ahead in the field while Eren and Armin occupied the defenders.  
“Mikasa!” he huffed, hands on his knees. “How in the world did you get Annie to drop her ball? She’s so...” he stood and pretended to squish something between his outstretched hands. He turned to welcome an approaching Eren, who slapped him on the back. Armin continued. “How?”   
“I told her she has a nice ass.” Eren and Armin looked shellshocked. They glanced at each other quickly before pulling Mikasa over to off the field. Once they were out of earshot of any eavesdroppers, Eren put his hand on his forehead and looked back over to Armin. Eren hummed.  
“So that’s what was happening in the first half of the game, before Annie switched over to goalie.” Armin nodded at Eren’s observation. He turned to Mikasa for an explanation. Mikasa huffed.  
“Nothing was happening other than I wanted to do something she wouldn't expect.” Mikasa looked down at her cleats and lifted her hand to itch at her cheek. Armin gaped, his mouth open.  
“You guys were totally eye fucking.” Mikasa snapped her head up to glare at Armin. Eren blew through his nose at the vulgar language. “That entire time. There was so much tension that even Sasha and Connie could feel it. And they are the thickest people alive.” Mikasa clenched her fists.   
“You guys were discussing this?!” Eren hung his head and scuffed the grass.  
“Yeah, at halftime while you went over to yell at Annie.” Eren grinned. “Jean wasn't too happy about it. Y'know, because he has a massive cru-mmmgh!” Mikasa cut him off by shoving her hand over his mouth.  
“Listen. Do not mention this ever again. Or I WILL tell people you guys eat face after practice in the tool shed.” Eren and Armin blushed.  
“You know?” Eren said weakly. Mikasa was fully aware of their not so secret relationship. She's seen Eren become a mess around Armin too many times to count. Mikasa squinted her eyes and started jogging over to the rest of her team where they were in a huddle.   
“You guys spend too long putting away the soccer balls. I can put two and two together.” Mikasa retorted jokingly. Eren and Armin followed, albeit a little slower than normal. The moment Mikasa arrived at the huddle she was tackled by Connie and Sasha.  
“Mikasa! How did you do it! Are you god?” Connie yelled. Mikasa shoved them both off with a smile. Jean walked up and clapped her on the back. Coach Levi nodded at her. Mikasa looked back to see Annie jumping into the passenger side of a van with her two giant friends.   
“I had a lucky shot. I guess.”


	3. this seems illegal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mikasa goes to therapy. Mikasa and annie stumble across eachother in the wilderness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for this semi deviation from the main plot I just wanted them to be on semi good terms before they get flirty on the feild

Mikasa always had therapy on Wednesdays. An hour of sitting in a room with beige walls and pamphlets scattered around. An hour of picking at the lint on her clothes. An hour of breathing through her nose and rubbing her scar. An hour of answering the same awkward questions at Dr. Hanges' insistence. She'd only been going to Hange’s offices for about two months, her last therapist she didn't click with. All Mikasa had to say about Dr. Hange is that they are very interesting so far.  
The office room was occupied by a huge desk covered in mini potted plants and a couple of photo frames of an angry looking chihuahua. Mikasa learned his name was Erwin when she first started meeting Dr. Hange. They would not shut up about their dog. The room also strongly smelled like cleaning supplies, it always burned the inside of Mikasa’s nose. Mikasa looked up from her clenched hands to see Dr. Hange hurriedly banging open drawers and pulling out papers. They gathered a few of them and flopped down into a nearby available chair.  
“So, how was your weekend? Anything exciting happen?” Dr. Hange asked. They were currently leaning dangerously forward in an old office swivel chair. And Mikasa knew if she didn’t answer soon, there would be an accident. She wondered if the mini fridge in the corner had an ice pack.  
“It was...” Mikasa hesitated, unsure to tell Hange about the Annie incident. “Normal.” Hange, always observant, picked up on the hesitation and raised their eyebrows.  
“Are you...sure? Did you have an episode again?” Mikasa traced the scar on her face.  
“No. I’ve been good lately. It uh… was something else.” Mikasa huffed, ticked that the only person she trusted enough to turn to for advice (and wouldn’t tease her about it) had to be one of the craziest people she’s ever met. “I met this girl at my soccer game and I told her she has a nice ass but I also think she was flirting with me before but now she hates me. Also I wiped the floor with her team. So, that’s probably why she hates me.” Mikasa finished quickly and clenched her hands together. Hange had their lips quirked upwards, betraying a hint of a smile. Mikasa frowned.  
“Don’t laugh.”  
“I won’t.”  
Hange leaned back into their chair and sighed. “Well, did you want her to flirt with you?”  
Mikasa sat and thought. Hange knew Mikasa liked to collect her thoughts before answering questions, and sometimes these silences could last up to ten minutes. She only had to think for a little while before she noticed that she was not going to be able to wrangle her feelings into a cohesive answer.  
“I don’t know.”  
Suddenly there was a loud clatter coming from outside the office, followed by several curse words that Mikasa never knew you could string together. The door rattled for a moment and then slammed open. And there stood Coach Levi, dressed in a gray shirt and pants with a mop and rag in his hands.  
“HANGE.” Levi brandished the rag in his hand, “WHY DID YOU DUMP CAT LITTER ON THE FLOOR. WE HAVE A DOG!” It was only then Mikasa noticed the white specks all over his pants and towel. Hange threw out a slew of excuses, telling him that they just really wanted to know what it tasted like and maybe I slipped and fell, it was heavy it wasn't my fault! Mikasa lifted a hand to cover her mouth and giggled, so this is what the feared Coach Levi did when he wasn’t shoving heads into dirt. Mikasa had to be honest, dealing with Dr. Hange was probably harder than being a soccer coach. She couldn’t blame him for always being on edge. Levi's head snapped towards her, his face went white.  
“Oh… I didn’t know you had a patient.” He promptly turned and left. Mikasa laughed. Hange smiled, adjusted their glasses, and shifted through some papers on their desk.  
“My husband Levi...you know him? He looked very surprised to see you here.”  
“Yes, he’s my soccer coach.” Mikasa replied. Hange chuckled.  
“Oh I should've known. He does that job on the side. His main job is being a janitor at this office block.” Hange smiled fondly. “But you probably shouldn't go around telling people that. He tells me all the time he has an image to maintain.”  
“Is this why he always smells like clorox? I have to at least tell Eren.”  
“Is he good at keeping secrets?”  
“Oh not at all.”  
After therapy, on the car ride home, Mikasa decided she quite liked Hange and their eccentric behavior.  
The rest of the week flew by quickly. High school and library study sessions that ended up being let's teach Eren algebra sessions. Hours of sitting in front of her mirror and trying different makeup methods to cover the scar on her face. The usual. Before she knew it, it was Sunday evening.  
She was sitting on the monkey bars with Eren and Armin at the town playground. Mikasa was never one to dress all out for simple expeditions. She was dressed in a white wife beater and sport shorts. Eren liked to tell her she dressed better in the colder months. That information pissed her off, just a little bit. Her forehead prickled with sweat. She wiped it away and sipped her Mcdonalds soda. She tipped her head to the side. The shade from the pine woods next to the play area looked tantalizingly cool.  
Eren and Armin had long retired to the privacy of the tube connecting the two playsets. Mikasa did NOT want to have to stick her head in there to tell them to follow her. She slid off the bars, tossed her now empty drink into a nearby trash can, and walked over to the tube. Instead of being a normal human being, she opted to bang the side of the tube three times in quick succession with no prior warning. Armin screamed and struck his head out.  
“Don't do that!” He crawled out, followed by Eren, who was busy nursing his head. Eren shot Mikasa a dirty look. Mikasa shrugged.  
“Let's go poke around in the woods. There's shade there, we might find a creek or something.” Mikasa pointed towards a slightly beaten path leading into the pines. Eren shrugged.  
“Sure.” He bent down and gathered three large sticks and pinecones. He handed one stick to Armin and one stick to Mikasa. “For protection.” Mikasa nodded, and all three started their journey through the woods.  
“Yknow, it's not as cool as I thought it would be back here.” Armin said. They had walked for about five minutes in silence. The heat was stickly and grass stuck to their legs. The sticks were coming in handy to beat away any suspicious brush. Poison ivy’s a bitch. Eren grunted in response. Shoes scuffed the dirt.  
“We should head back home.” Eren opened his mouth again, probably to elaborate on his reasoning for returning home to play Fortnite or whatever. Unfortunately, he never finished his sentence, Mikasa had her hand covering his mouth. Her other hand held a finger over her lips, begging for silence. Her eyes darted over to Armin, who crouched down, no doubt having heard the voices as well. Eren nodded, the hand was removed.  
“Don’t move.” Mikasa whispered. A booming male voice rang through the trees.  
“Annie! Toss me another can!” Mikasa's brain frizzled.  
“You dumbass! We only brought three cans with us! One for each. You can't have anymore!” An exasperated groan followed this reply. Mikasa clenched her fists, she recognized that voice. God damn it.  
“Why didn't you bring more?”  
“My dad would have noticed! Shut the hell up, Reiner.” Silence followed these words. Mikasa heard rocks being clattered around. Mikasa beckoned to Eren and Armin to follow her, and they did. Annie came into view, shrouded by the shadows from the setting sun. She was seated on a burnt stump, white blonde hair drifting softly around her face. A white hoodie and jeans adorning her figure. Mikasa brushed her own black hair behind her ears, hoping she looked presentable. Another male voice spoke up, slightly softer than the first.  
“The fire pit is done.” Sticks were tossed in, a crackling noise and an excited whoop followed. Laughter echoed around the clearing. A hushed whisper diverted Mikasa's attention away from the fire, away from Annie's face.  
“Mikasa!” It was Armin, still crouched on the forest floor. “What are we gonna do?” He stood, attempted to take a step forward and fell flat into a pair of VERY crunchy nearby bushes. Maybe it wasn't a very good idea to have a fire pit in the middle of a dry forest.  
Eren surged forward to lift Armin out of the bushes. Shit shit shit. This was not good. Mikasa glanced at Armin, and then snapped her head back to where Annie was. Only to find Annie wasn't there anymore. SHIT. Mikasa backpedaled, she yanked Armin from Eren and lifted him over her shoulder.  
“We need to go. Now.” Too late. A strong voice rang through the clearing.  
“What the fuck are you guys doing here.” Annie had found them. The only thing that crossed through Mikasa's mind was how absolutely screwed she was. Mikasa placed Armin onto the ground where he started rubbing his knees. Eren bent to soothe him. Mikasa stood up straight and met Annies eyes. Her piercing icy blue eyes.  
“Annie.”  
“Mikasa.”  
A short greeting. Mikasa felt a little happy that Annie remembered her name. A small victory. Annie’s companions jogged up to confront the intruders.  
“I thought you were the cops or something.” A booming laugh followed. Mikasa surmised that this was Reiner. He was tall and buff with blonde hair. A hand was extended, one that Eren took. “Nice to meet you. Formally.” He winked and slapped the back of his companion, a super tall lanky fellow with brown hair. “This is Bertolt.” Bertolt offered a wave.  
Armin stood. Blood covered his hands. He frowned.  
“I don't think I fell into a very friendly bush.” Eren tore off his shirt and scrubbed at Armin’s legs. Armin yelped and danced away. “You're just pushing the pricks in father!”  
Annie broke away eye contact from Mikasa. She jutted her thumb out behind her, pointing at the three lawn chairs and a log laid out.  
“You're welcome to sit and clean up. We have water.”  
An hour had passed, maybe more. Mikasa was content. The sun had long set. The fire flickered happily. The air smelled faintly of alcohol. The boys got along great surprisingly. They were currently making s’mores together. Testing how burnt a marshmallow could get before it tasted disgusting. Armin's legs were bandaged, wrapped tenderly by Eren with the help of Bertolt. All animosity from the earlier soccer game melted away and was replaced by comradery.  
Mikasa leaned back until her back rested against the log. She closed her eyes. She felt the log shift, settling to accommodate weight. Mikasa was sure she didn't weigh that much. She opened her eyes. Annie. Sitting there and holding a can of bud light. It was tipped towards Mikasa, an offering.  
“Of peace?” Mikasa flicked her eyes upwards, meeting Annie’s eyes. Her brow crinkled.  
“A what?” Annie pushed the can towards Mikasa. Mikasa grabbed it. Her hands covered Annies.  
“Of peace. Do you hate me?” They were still connected. Gray holding ice blue. Blue looked away, down to their connected hands.  
“Not really.” Annie let go of the can and pulled her legs to her chest, hugging them, head tipped to the side, staring at the fire. “I was just mad. At...” She snorted. Her eyes reflected orange. “Ymir’s such a dick, y'know? She gets on my ass and she pisses me off.”  
“Oh?” Mikasa didn't know how to reply. She stalled for some time. “The goalie?” Mikasa asked, even though she knew perfectly well. Annie hummed in reply.  
“Yeah. She’s just…” Annie trailed off. Minutes passed. Mikasa looked down at her beer.  
“It's half empty.”  
“Yeah it is. I didn’t want anymore. I thought you would like some.” A beat of silence followed. Annie frowned. “I just realized I put my mouth on it.”  
“It’s fine.” Mikasa took a sip. The beer burned her throat. She hacked it out, spraying it onto her legs.  
“Shit!” She scrubbed at her shorts. Mrs. Carla was definitely going to smell that. Annie laughed, a noise that made Mikasa's stomach feel strange.  
“Oh my god!” Annies hand smacked Mikasa's back. “Are my cooties that bad?”  
Mikasa decided to take the plunge.  
“I haven't had enough of them to decide on that yet.” Mikasa waited for a response. Annie’s lips curled into a smile, and then she burst out laughing.  
“Wow. You are horrible at this.” Mikasa gasped in offense.  
“How dare you!” Annie tittered again. Mikasa huffed.  
Their eyes met. Cheeks red from embarrassment, or maybe alcohol. Soft smiles graced both their faces. Annie shifted closer. Mikasa felt her eyes start to flutter shut. Annie’s breath whispered against her jaw.  
“Meet me back here at eight tomorrow. Okay?”  
“Okay.”


	4. why are you wearing those shorts again

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mikasa is a little shit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this one was a lot of fun to write. Hope yall enjoy!!

Waking up the next morning was a struggle. Mikasa grumbled, sitting up to shut off her alarm, dreams of pink lips and dancing feet slipping away. They got home late last night. Armin slept over, and Mrs. Carla drilled them on the importance of a good night's sleep. Reiner and Bertolt insisted on getting Armin and Eren’s numbers. The boys had spent way too long sending each other pictures of their marshmallow creations. Mikasa rubbed at her eyes. Mikasa didn't ask Annie for hers. Annie still hated her. Probably.   
Mikasa's eyes snapped open. Annie. Her breath on her face. Heightened sensations. The swinging hoodie cord. The tiny smudge of chocolate on the edge of Annie's mouth. Whispered words floating through Mikasa's swaying hair. Thumbs on skin.   
“Meet me back here at eight tomorrow. Okay?”  
A hushed response. Heart pounding. In fear or joy, undecided.   
“Okay.”  
Mikasa buried her face in her hands. 

School was normal, fine. She did her assignments, ate lunch with her friends. Looked for Annie, although she wasn’t even sure what school she went to. Mikasa felt uncomfortable. There was a twist in her stomach almost constantly. Nerves she supposed, nerves confirmed Armin. Armin understood, he listened to her when she described her encounter, her fears, her feelings. He only smiled. A sweet gentle smile that soothed her. She so desperately wanted to confide in Eren, but this felt like her secret. Mikasa smiled. Her secret. 

Mikasa met Armin in the library.  
“Armin.”  
He hummed in response, his fingers were busy typing something on the school computer. The clack of the keys echoing in the silence.   
“I’m meeting Annie tonight.” The click of the keyboard stopped. Armin turned in the chair, mischief in his eyes.   
“Like on a date?”  
“I don’t know.”  
“Do you want to put my hair in a ponytail?”  
“Yes.”  
Armin fished around in his backpack and pulled out a hair tie. He placed it in Mikasa's hands, giving them a little squeeze as he did so. She started combing through his hair with her fingers. The clack of the keyboard resumed. Armin opened his mouth.  
“So, do you want to talk about it?”  
Mikasa hummed and snapped the tie against Armin’s blonde hair.   
“Kinda. She asked me to meet her where we all hung out yesterday.”  
“Oh! You guys might make another fire pit or make marshmallows or something. It’ll be okay, Mikasa. I’m sure she likes you back!”  
Mikasa tugged on his ponytail.  
“I never said I LIKED her.”  
“Then why are you so nervous.”  
Mikasa couldn’t reply. Armin laughed.

Mikasa got home after school and immediately went to her closet. She had to pick out an outfit. An outfit for Annie. She pulled a few hangers out. A red shirt with long sleeves stood out to her. She held it to her chest. It fit snug to her body. She ran her hand over her chest. It would make her look good. She threw it onto the bed. Baggy black pants was her next choice, it would go excellent with the red shirt. And finally, she opened a box on her nightstand and pulled out a gold chain and fastened it around her neck. Her ensemble was almost finished. She pulled the collar of her shirt out and looked down. Almost.   
She threw a black bra onto her bed. Just in case.   
Mikasa sat in front of the mirror staring at her face, she had applied eyeliner to make her eyes appear even sharper than they already were. Her mother was Japanese, and subsequently, she had inherited most of her looks. Narrow eyes, slightly darker skin, grey eyes that bored back into her. There was no hiding the scar. A strip of white on her cheek underneath her left eye. It didn’t make her look ugly. Eren always said she looked cool, like she had a story to tell. But it bothered her anyway, the story was not a happy one.   
She painted her nails black and waited for them to dry.   
She passed the time watching TV and drinking juice boxes. She tended to drink those when she was nervous. Several of them littered the floor. She'd pick them up when she finished the box. Eren was suspicious. Asking her questions about why she was all dressed up.  
“Did Jean finally score a date with you?”  
“No.”  
She unlocked her phone and pulled up Instagram. Three notifications. Reiner and Bertolt had followed her. Armin had texted her good luck for tonight. She sipped on her drink. Annie in the suggested friends box. Mikasa shut her phone off.   
She ran her hands through her hair and stood up. Two hours until showtime. 

“Mikasa.” It was Eren. “It’s dark out, where are you going?   
Mikasa had her hand on the door handle already, key dangling from her lanyard.   
“Out.”  
Eren crossed his arms.  
“Out where.”  
Mikasa turned the handle.   
“Why are you so interested?”  
Eren scoffed.  
“Because you're my sister? I’m not gonna let you go off and get murdered.”  
“That won’t happen.”  
“It almost did.”  
Mikasa gripped the door handle so hard her knuckles went white. She threw the door open and walked out. He went too far. Mentioned the unmentionable.   
“I'll tell you later, Eren. Leave me alone.”   
Mikasa took off down the sidewalk. Eren stood at the doorway, defeated. 

The walk to the clearing in the woods was peaceful. The shrill buzz of cicadas and the slight smell of honeysuckle invaded Mikasa's senses. The warm enveloping comfort of twilight and the twinkle of distant lights comforted her. Her shoes shuffled through the dead leaves littering the ground. She inhaled. Smoke. Burnt leaves, from yesterday.   
The clearing came into view, scattered burnt sticks and wrappers littering the ground.   
"Annie?" Mikasa called.  
"Over here." A voice that Mikasa instantly recognized replied. Mikasa followed the voice between two pines to find another clearing, flatter and larger than the other. And in it was a makeshift baby soccer field.   
Annie was standing between the two kiddie goals with a ball under her arm. She was dressed in a white hoodie, and the same black shorts from the game. Mikasa couldn't tell if that was on purpose or not. Mikasa gaped at Annie. This was not what she was expecting. She was expecting maybe a moonlit confession or fight.  
Annie jogged up to Mikasa.  
“Wow. You are not dressed for this at all.” Annie said, after looking Mikasa up and down. Mikasa clenched her fists.   
“Youre fucking insane if you think I’m going to scrimmage with you in the middle of the woods at night.”  
“You said okay last night.”  
“I thought we were going to-” Mikasa stopped, pulled at her shirt and let it slap back onto her chest. She crossed her arms and looked down. Annie laughed, great whooping cackles. After a beat, Mikasa brought her head back up to look Annie directly in her eyes.   
“You have a huge, shit eating grin on your face right now.”   
“Why don't you kiss it off?” Annie replied. The grin got bigger  
“Really?” Mikasa asked hopefully.   
“Ha! Hell no.” Annie laughed and tossed the ball to her. “You've gotta earn it, and you'll do that by playing. Against me. In a fair environment.” Annie punctuated each sentence with a step forward, until she was nearly nose to nose with Mikasa. An exhale of breath. Mikasa's hair drifted gently around her face. And then she was gone, jogging to the other side of the clearing.  
"First goal is the winner! I don't want to be here all night!"   
Mikasa felt her hands twitch. Annie grinded her fucking gears. 

The game was hard. Mikasa had never been challenged in this way. Sweat beaded on her brow and her legs and arm ached. It was thrilling. Both of them kicking the ball at the same time, the pain in her toes, the little shoves that Annie would give her. It was amazing. The air was charged. They fought against each other yet moved as one being. Both understood each other's movements so well they were at equal.   
No one had scored yet. It was nearing ten o'clock. Mikasa's phone had three texts from Eren that she hadn't the time to answer. The game needed to end soon. Someone needed to score. And Mikasa needed it to be her. Unfortunately, Annie had other plans.  
In a last ditch effort to win, Annie tackled Mikasa.   
"What the hell?!? Get off!" Mikasa's hands scrambled for the ball. If Annie wanted to play dirty she could get dirty.   
"There are no rules here!" Annie shouted in response. Annie pulled herself over onto Mikasa. Hand outstretched to slap the ball away. It was only then Mikasa realized the compromising position they were in. She froze.  
"Annie." She whispered. Annie looked down, and grinned.   
"Mikasa. Don't get any ideas, you haven't won yet!" Mikasa huffed angrily and surged forward. She shoved Annie off and threw her onto her ass, and then pinned her down. Her thighs surrounded Annie's hips. Mikasa placed her elbows on either side of Annie's head. Annie squirmed. But she was stuck.   
Mikasa leaned her head down to whisper into Annie’s ear.   
"Do I win yet."   
Annie lifted her hands to cradle Mikasa's face. Faces inched closer. Closer. Black hair met white skin. Thumbs brushed cheeks. Warm breath flush against burning cheeks  
“No.”  
Mikasa pulled Annie’s hoodie over her head and pulled on the strings.  
Annie screamed in rage and pulled at her hood. Mikasa took the opening to grab the ball and run it towards the goal football style. She tossed in into the net. She cheered and spun around on her heel, hands in the air.  
"Touchdown!!!"   
Oh Annie was angry. Really angry. Red in the face. Short breaths. Arched eyebrows. Clenched fists. Rage condensed into a five foot tall teenager with way too much time on her hands.   
Mikasa did the only reasonable thing when faced with a threat as large as this one.   
She ran.


	5. slushies melt too quick

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> a day in the life of mikasa

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> setting up some plot hehe.

Mikasa was hiding in the playground tube. It was nearly eleven oclock, the only light available to her in the dim plastic cage was the soft yellow glow from those tall pillar lights scattered around the nearby parking lot. Annie had chased her all through the woods before Mikasa finally managed to shake her off. She checked her phone and frowned. Several texts from Eren and Armin littered her lock screen.   
Mikasa hovered her fingers over the keyboard, wanting to type out a response.  
Several clangs echoed through the night. A sharp intake of breath.  
“Shit! Fuck! Ah god that hurt”   
Mikasa took immense effort in being silent. She could hear Annie shuffling around outside, no doubt searching for her in the metal jungle.   
“Mikasa!”  
Mikasa didn’t reply.  
“Mikasa!” A little louder. “I’m not gonna kill you, I promise.”   
Mikasa debated her options.  
“You won.” An angry huff followed these words. “I cheated first. So you cheating cancels it out. You won.”  
Mikasa jumped as wood chips clattered against the thin plastic walls surrounding her.  
“Come on out, I know you're in there.”  
Mikasa got on her knees and crawled out of the tube. Annie was sitting on the entrance to the slide, legs hanging off of the edge precariously. Mikasa moved her legs to sit with them crossed right next to her. Annie was staring at the moon, a thin sliver of silver reflection.   
“It’s waxing.”  
Mikasa glanced up, and then at Annie.  
“How do you know?” Mikasa shuffled closer. Annie’s eyes flickered over to her, and then back to the moon.  
“It was completely black yesterday night.” Annie replied as she formed a circle with her hands and pretended to squish the moon.   
Mikasa leaned back to lay down, letting her head rest on the cool metal. Annie glanced back over again.   
“Y’know…” Annie trailed off. To Mikasa’s surprise, Annie moved to lay down next to Mikasa. Her head banged the metal.  
“Christ Almighty, that’s the second time tonight.” Annie exhaled, and pulled her hoodie off and over her head. Mikasa could only stare.   
Defined arms from probably a strict workout routine and a tight tank top was all Mikasa could focus on. The buzz of cicadas mixed with the pounding in her ears.   
“What are you doing?” Mikasa raised her hand to tug on Annie’s undershirt.   
“Pillow.” Annie balled up the hoodie and laid it out. Space enough for two people to place their heads. Annie looked Mikasa in the eyes, smiled, and gestured with her hand towards the makeshift pillow. Mikasa smiled back.   
They laid like that for a while. Staring at the stars together. Annie hand reached up every once in a while to trace patterns between the glowing suns up above. Mikasa only watched, paying extra attention to the silhouette of Annie's big nose and the way her lips whispered the names of legends forever remembered in the night sky. The trees shivered with the wind, and the buzz of the electrical box nearby soothed Mikasa into a drowsy state of peace. She closed her eyes, content.   
The jacket smelled of Annie. A strange mix of what was probably weed and the strawberry lip balm she used. It made her feel tired, a place where she could just curl up and sleep. Soft worn fabric rubbed at the back of Mikasa’s ears. A dull red glow glimmered in and out from behind her closed eyelids. Mikasa clasped her hands together, over her stomach.  
Mikasa wondered if she should text Eren to walk home with her. It was dark out, which meant an abundance of creeps would be wandering the streets. She didn’t want something bad to happen to her. Again.  
But these were thoughts she wasn’t supposed to be having right now.   
“Mikasa.” A whisper.  
Mikasa opened her eyes and turned on her side to face Annie. Stray hairs floated gently in the wind, getting caught in eyelashes. Mikasa reached out and tucked a strand of golden behind Annie’s ear. She took extra care in letting her fingers skim over Annie’s skin. Annie's eyes were half closed, slowly fluttering shut. She placed her hand on Annie’s cheek. Annie’s ear in between her thumb and her index finger. Annie hummed and moved her face to press into Mikasa’s face.   
“Mikasa.” Annie's hands landed on Mikasa's forearms. They moved closer to each other. Mikasa paused, unsure. Annie pulled her closer. Closer. Foreheads touched.  
Breaths floated in the space between them.   
Mikasa trailed her thumb down. Resting them on Annie's lips.  
Annie kissed her thumb.   
Bit her thumb.

“She’s teasing you. That’s normal.”  
“Armin. Her biting my thumb is not normal.”  
“Well…” Mikasa hears the telltale scuffle of someone adjusting the way you hold a phone. “That just means she’s into you.” The muffled sound of Armin talking to one of his co workers echoes through the receiver. Mikasa waits until he finishes talking to whomever else is there. “Just text her and ask her to go eat somewhere or something. I can hook you guys up with a hotdog.”   
“I don’t even have her number.”  
“I’ll ask Bertolt. Listen. I gotta go. The manager is getting on my ass.”  
A clack is heard, and then the beep noise signalling the end of the call. Mikasa sighed and put her phone back into her backpack. Armin once again was her only confidence. She was still mad at Eren for snapping at her before. Mikasa does want to tell him about Annie. Soon. But she doesn’t really feel like that’s a secret he deserves to know right now.  
Mikasa had arrived early at the field. She had run there after school, desperate to arrive early to be able to make that secret call to Armin. Practice didn’t start for another thirty minutes, so she had time to kill. Nothing interesting was happening on her phone. Armin was busy flipping burgers. Eren had tutoring for English after school. Neither of them would be able to make it to today’s practice. Mikasa fiddled with the zipper on her backpack. Coach Levi would be pissed.   
“Mikasa!”   
Jean was running up, a huge bag of balls slung over his shoulder. He ran his hand through his hair.   
“Mikasa! Funny seeing you here.”  
“Same to you, Jean.”  
“Yeah.” He moved the bag to hang over his other shoulder. “Listen, I was wondering if you wanted to hang out tomorrow. There’s a lake by my house and my parents have a boat. I got my license recently.” He huffed and scratched his cheek. “They made me wait till I was eighteen to get it.”  
Mikasa smiled at him. It was no secret that sweet Jean had a thing for her. She liked him too, he was a genuinely nice person and she had known him long enough to know it wasn’t a front he put up to impress her. If her feelings for him were anything other than a friend, Mikasa knew she would be dating him already. She always let him down easy. She valued his friendship and she didn’t want to lose it. She regularly made excuses for never hanging out with him one on one, but he kept asking, and soon she was going to have to give him a firm no.  
Mikasa didn’t know what to say this time. She had no ready excuse for this very obvious attempt at asking her on a date.   
Jean stuck out his hand.   
“Sasha and Connie will be there too. I promised them a ride.”  
Oh.  
Mikasa had judged this situation very wrongly.  
“I guess you can bring Armin.” Mikasa frowned. Jean hurriedly continued. “And Eren too. And whoever else is your friend. Think of it as a celebration for my new license.”   
Mikasa took Jean’s hand and gave it a squeeze.  
“I have a few people in mind.”

“Where the hell is the rest of my team.”  
They were lined up facing Coach Levi, all three of them. He was pissed, exactly as Mikasa had predicted. He stalked around them, constantly tapping his pencil against his clipboard.  
“Sasha. Where is your shadow.”   
“Connie?”  
“Yes Connie. Who else would it be?”  
Sasha glanced down at her shadow. Levi gave her a glare.  
“He’s...uh…busy.” Sasha nodded as she finished her sentence. Coach Levi frowned.   
“Mikasa.”  
Mikasa stood up straighter.  
“Yes sir?”  
“Eren. Armin.”  
“School and work.”   
Levi paused his tapping against his ever present clipboard.   
“We don’t have enough people here to play a mock game. Or do anything really.” He glanced behind him at the parking lot. “I have an idea.” 

“Thank you for the ice cream!” Sasha had her face buried in a cone of what could only be described as the ice cream version of a suicide drink.   
“Make sure you rub this in everyone’s face, Sasha. Let Connie know my anger.”  
Jean laughed, and pretended to clink drinks with Sasha. Mikasa wiped the table with a napkin where the rapidly melting ice cream had dripped. Jean had two scoops of mint chocolate chip, and Mikasa had settled for a coca cola slushie. Milk products always made her stomach churn. Sasha pulled out her phone to take pictures of Mikasa and Jean eating. Mikasa sipped her drink and sent the camera a peace sign.  
“Mikasa!” Sasha leaned on her elbows over the table. “Are you coming to the boat party tomorrow? Me and Connie are bringing a bottle of wine to smash against it.” Mikasa nodded.  
“I told you guys it’s an old boat. This is not it’s first voyage.”   
“Yeah… but it’s still gonna be funny to break it, and we have to empty the wine bottle first. Somehow.” Sasha gave Mikasa and Jean a very gremlin-like grin.   
“I can’t drink any. I’m piloting the damn thing.” Mikasa shushed Jean and glanced over at Coach Levi, who was eating a chocolate covered cone and starting out the window.   
“Hm… I seem to have not heard anything that you have said.”  
Jean and Sasha laughed, and Mikasa joined in.

Mikasa pulled a cold metal chair from underneath a red and black checkered table with a loud screech. She had hurried over to the hot dog joint as soon as the slotted practice time was over. Armin worked here part time, after school mostly. Sometimes she came here just to sit and enjoy his silent company. Whenever Eren joined her, they liked to shittalk rude customers.   
The employees' only doors slammed open, and Armin hurried over. He was dressed in his uniform, a red and white apron fashioned around his waist with a yellow hat.  
“You have got to start picking up the chairs when you move them from the table. My sensitive ears can only take so much from other customers.”   
“It astonishes me that you’ve kept working here for so long.”   
“Eren likes the hot dogs, I can hook him up anytime.” Mikasa snorted.  
“Yeah I bet you can.” Armin fixed her with a glare.  
“What is that supposed to mean.”  
“Nothing…”  
Armin lifted and plunked down a chair next to her. He scooted closer and pulled out his phone. He took off his hat and stuffed it into an apron pocket.   
“I’m inviting Marco and Hitch to the boat christening.”   
“I thought Hitch teased you and you hated it.”  
“I invited Marco first but he was so excited about it he balbbed about it to Hitch.” Armin huffed and spent a minute tapping out something on his phone. “She seemed...very excited to be invited. I couldn’t say no.” Armin lifted his head up to look her in the eyes. “So, are you inviting Annie?”   
“Uhh..” Mikasa rubbed at the back of her neck.   
“ARMIN. YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE WORKING THE DRIVE THRU!” A livid Hitch had stuck her head out the kitchen window. Customers looked on in surprise of her outburst. Armin jumped and froze.   
“Ahhh oops.” He grabbed a napkin from the dispenser on the table and scribbled down something on it. “COMING!” He shoved it into Mikasa’s hands. He got up and ran towards the breakroom. Before he closed the door behind him, he turned. “And please patch things up with Eren. He keeps texting me about what he said. He wants to make it up to you.” Mikasa nodded. Armin smiled. And closed the door.   
Mikasa uncrumpled the napkin. A phone number was scrawled messily across it. An arrow was drawn, pointing to a name. Annie.

“How was tutoring?” Eren was walking a little behind her on the sidewalk. She had decided to walk home with him rather than by herself. He kept scuffing his shoes against the pavement. The noise was bothering her. She reached behind her and pulled him closer until they were walking level with each other. Eren glanced at her.  
“It was good, fine.” He paused. “Historia is getting better in English.”  
“Well,” Mikasa paused. “That’s good.”  
“Yeah, but that means she’s better than me.”   
“Why is that an issue?”  
“Because that means she’ll stop coming to tutoring. And then I’ll be alone.”  
“Then you’ll just have to get better too.” Eren nodded. A charged silence fell between them.  
“Listen, Mikasa.” He stopped walking and tugged on her arm. “I’m sorry about bringing that up. I’m sorry. I know you don’t like it when people talk about it. That was a low blow. I will make it up to you, I promise. I’ll buy you ice cream on the way home, okay?”  
Mikasa thought for a second. She opened her arms and he fell in. They hugged.   
“That’s okay. It’s alright, Eren. Coach Levi took me for ice cream already though.”  
Eren pulled away and looked her in the eyes.  
“He what.”


End file.
